My Neighbour Tree
Storytelling beyond human
2017
My Neighbor Tree is an exploration of an unseen world of trees. The story is based on a case study of spontaneous repopulation of post-industrial land by community of a sylvan giants in Kocevje. The outcome of the project is formalized into a collection of objects which intrigue with their strange and quirky appearance, yet leave the viewer confused as they fail to relate to any common understanding of plants within a human-centered world view.
The project includes a series of short stories about each extensively studied tree. Every story includes characteristics comprising a personality of tree creatures, which informs visualizations and spatial translations. This approach seems absurd from Western point of view which assigns a personality and a sentience exceptionally to human.
By producing an abstract representation of a trees’ personality, a new and unexpected quality emerge. This quality is not about a reduction of a tree to something useful or practical, nor refers to a human by means of anthropomorphism. Spatial translation of each tree intentionally avoid to relate to their visual appearance and to associate with human-like qualities.
The exploration of a different than human-like modes of thinking and thus shifting our attention away from our exceptionalism, aims to encourage more empathetic and respectful ways of existing with other kinds of life and non-life. By pointing exclusively onto nonhuman being this project can open up new kinds of possibilities of inerspecies understanding and relating.
Project is a part of BIO 25: Faraway, So Close Biennale in Ljubljana
Read research book
Group website
Storytelling beyond human
2017
My Neighbor Tree is an exploration of an unseen world of trees. The story is based on a case study of spontaneous repopulation of post-industrial land by community of a sylvan giants in Kocevje. The outcome of the project is formalized into a collection of objects which intrigue with their strange and quirky appearance, yet leave the viewer confused as they fail to relate to any common understanding of plants within a human-centered world view.
The project includes a series of short stories about each extensively studied tree. Every story includes characteristics comprising a personality of tree creatures, which informs visualizations and spatial translations. This approach seems absurd from Western point of view which assigns a personality and a sentience exceptionally to human.
By producing an abstract representation of a trees’ personality, a new and unexpected quality emerge. This quality is not about a reduction of a tree to something useful or practical, nor refers to a human by means of anthropomorphism. Spatial translation of each tree intentionally avoid to relate to their visual appearance and to associate with human-like qualities.
The exploration of a different than human-like modes of thinking and thus shifting our attention away from our exceptionalism, aims to encourage more empathetic and respectful ways of existing with other kinds of life and non-life. By pointing exclusively onto nonhuman being this project can open up new kinds of possibilities of inerspecies understanding and relating.
Project is a part of BIO 25: Faraway, So Close Biennale in Ljubljana
Read research book
Group website
